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Ask for help > Little help with prepositions and housing
Little help with prepositions and housing
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jirka
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Little help with prepositions and housing
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Two questions questions for native speakers.
a) I�ve come across the following sentence in a good English textbook recently: They go to their cottage at the weekends and in the holiday.
Is the phrase "in the holidays" ever used in real English? I�d prefer "on holiday" or "during holiday" instead.
b) I had a discussion about terms like "detached house", "semi-detached house" and "terraced house" with my fellow teachers. Because we always teach them but seldom use them in our class later on.
Can you give me a helping hand, please? |
23 Nov 2010
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MoodyMoody
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I believe the British go on holiday, yes; we Americans go on vacation. To add to this, I �d say "on weekends" instead of "at the weekends."
I �m sorry I can �t help you more with "detached house," "semi-detached house," or "terraced house." We don �t use those terms in the USA. My guess is that the American terms would be "single-family house," "duplex," (for two families) and "split-level house" (a house with two stories on one side, and one on the other, usually built on a hill). But I really don �t know for sure. |
23 Nov 2010
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mumof1
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a) yes we do use the term in the holidays but not often usually its �on holidays � or during
b) never heard of those terms and am married to a builder...
duplex is two huses joined- duplex refering to one half
town house is a two story duplex in a complex (number of same houses)
split level house - two story house usually build on sloped land with 1-5 steps
studio- 1 roomed appartment
hope that helped! |
23 Nov 2010
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viccxx
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A detached house is a house that doesnt share a wall with any other houses on both sides. A semi-detached house shares one wall and a terraced house is a house in a row of houses -both walls are shared with the ones on the left and the right
As far as I know the terms are mainly used in British English |
23 Nov 2010
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Nicola5052
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Yes, your �e right about the houses although we often call it just a �semi �. Semi-detached just seems too long-winded! We also have an end-of-terrace where the house is only attached to another on one side but is the last in a row of houses. |
23 Nov 2010
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Apodo
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Usage:
We go on holidays.
But we can ask �What are you doing in the holidays? � (meaning during the holidays) This could be used about the long summer holiday that school students have. The holiday could be spent at home, or away from home.
They go to their cottage in the holidays.
We went to Spain in the holidays.
They are going on a holiday to Spain.
I can �t come to your party because I �ll be on holiday. (Implies I �ll be away from home at that time.)
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23 Nov 2010
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Jayho
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Hi jirka
They go to their cottage at the weekends and in the holiday / for their holidays / during their holidays
Agree with Apodo�s suggestions.
Re "detached house", "semi-detached house" and "terraced house" - These are found in the very old parts of Australia�s oldest captital cities (Sydney, Perth, Mebourne). As we were colonised by the British we use the British terms. However these words are not used in Australia very much anymore because the houses are gradually being demolished and replaced with newer types of housing. There is a comprehensive article here that defines all the different types of houses found in the English speaking world: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_house_types
Cheers
Jayho |
24 Nov 2010
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jirka
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Thanks a million, have a nice day:-) Jirka |
24 Nov 2010
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